Amusement apparatus.



PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

1?. J. MUGAEBE. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 19. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

F. J. McOABE. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

FRANKLIN J. MOOABE, OF NEW YORK. N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AXEL S.FR. BERQUIST AND ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK TENOH, BOTH AMUSEMENT APPARATUS-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed October 19, 1904. Serial No. 229,067.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN J. MCCABE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus,fully described and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in amusement apparatus,and has for its object to produce a novel and improved apparatus forproviding sport and amusement at pleasure-resorts.

With this and other objects in View the invention consists in certainnovel apparatus, which will be hereinafter more fully de scribed, theparticular features of the invention being then specifically referredto.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation ofone form of apparatus embodying the invention, certain parts of theframe of the apparatus being shown as broken away. Fig. 2 is a planView. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one form of apparatus inwhich the invention may be embodied, 1 indicates a frame, which may beof any suitable construction and configuration, the construction andconfiguration varying according to the particular apparatus in which theinvention is embodied. The apparatus, whatever its form may be, willinclude what is herein termed a slideroute. This route comprises aplurality of courses. In the particular construction shown the firstcourse includes a sharply-inclined slideway, (marked 2,) which is or maybe reached from a raised platform, (marked 3,) this platform, as shown,resting on a floor 4, to which access may be had in any desired manner,as by stairs or an elevator. (Not shown.) The upper end of this slidewaymay be leveled off, as indicated at 5, to provide a starting-surface forthe pleasure-seeker. This slideway communicates with what may be termedthe second course, which may be variously constructed and arranged. Inthe best constructions the second course will include a carrier 6, whichmay be formed by an endless belt which is supported by rollers 7 and 8.When this course is formed, as in the apparatus selected to embody theinvention,

by means of an endless flexible belt, intermedlate supporting-rollers 9are or may be employed, these rollers causing a slight jolting orbumping sensation as the pleasure-seeker passes over them. In the bestconstructions the supporting-surface of the carrier will be locatedbelow the delivery end of the starting incline, so that a sudden descentor drop is obtained in passing from the incline to the carrier.

The course succeeding the second course may be variously constructed andarranged. In the best constructions, however, this course will include acurved slideway 10, which is also inclined, so that as thepleasureseeker passes from the preceding course to it he will sliderapidly down it. In the best constructions, also, this curved slidewaywill have its receiving end located below the delivery end of thepreceding course, so as to provide a sudden descent or drop between thecourses.

The succeeding courses of the slide-route where more than two coursesare employed may be variously constructed and arranged. In theparticular apparatus shown these courses are formed by repeating inalternation the carrier 6 and the curved slideway 10. In the bestconstructions the succeeding courses, however they may be formed, willbe so arranged that the delivery end of each course will be on a higherlevel than the re ceiving end of the succeeding course, so as to providethe sudden descent from course to course, hereinbefore described.

The slide-route may terminate in various ways. In the constructionselected to illustrate the invention the termination of the slide-routeis formed by a more or less sharply-inclined slideway 11.

When portions of the route are formed, as in the apparatus illustrated,by carrier-belts, these belts may be driven in any suitable manner. Asshown, there is provided a motor,(diagrammatically illustrated at 12,)the shaft 13 of this motor operating driving-belts 1 1 and 15. Thedriving-belt 14 runs over a pulley on the shaft 8 of the uppercarrier-belt, thus driving this belt. In the particular constructionshown the second carrier-belt is driven from the first belt by means ofa belt 16 and a pulley 17, mounted on the shaft of thecarrier-belt-supporting roller 7, this belt 16 running around a pulley18 on the shaft of a roller supporting the belt next succeeding it. Thebelt 15 drives a shaft 19 by means of a pulley 20, and from this shaftthe third carrier-belt is driven by means of a belt 21 and a pulley 22.The third belt drives the fourth belt by means of pulleys and beltssimilar to those by which the first belt drives the second belt.

When the slide-route embodies curved courses, the route as a whole may,if desired, be arranged in the general form of a spiral; but in thepreferred construction the courses will be arranged to cross each otherin the form generally referred to as a figure 8 form, as shown in 2.

In the best forms of construction embodying the invention a waterwaywill be provided, said waterway being located adjacent to the route andextending along some or all of the courses. In the construction shownthis waterway comprises two channels 23 and 24, one lying on each sideof the course formed by the first carrier. It is obvious that a singlechannel might be em ployed, if desired. In order to add to the sceniceffect of the apparatus as a whole, the waterway will in the bestconstructions be so made as to provide falls or rapids at suitablepoints. In the particular construction shown this is effected bybreaking the channels at suitable points, the water from the channelsfalling into containers 25, which containers communicate with succeedingchannels.

Where economy in water-supply is of importance, the same water may bereused, the final channels delivering into a container 25, from whichthe water is raised by a pump (diagrammatically indicated at 26) througha pipe 27 to a container 28, located at any suitable point near thebeginning of the route. In the particular construction shown the pump isindicated as being driven by a suitable belt, as 29, from the shaft 19,before referred to.

When the apparatus embodying the invention includes curved courses, thebest effect may be obtained by breaking the waterway at the beginning ofthe curved courses, and this arrangement will also cheapen theconstruction of the apparatus.

While the apparatus may be used in various ways, in the particularconstruction shown it is intended that the pleasure-seeker shall assumea sitting posture on the level part above the slideway 2. He then slidesdown this way, obtaining sufiicient velocity to land upon the belt,after which he is carried by the belt to the curved slideway by which heis delivered to the on until he has completed the route, the terminationof the route being marked, as before stated, by the delivery-slideway11.

In the best constructions where a carrier is employed the carrier willbe located, as indi-v next belt, and so cated in Fig. 3, between sidewalls 30, which will be high enough to prevent any person from fallingoff the carrier. When the slideroute includes curved slideways, such asshown in the particular apparatus illustrated, the sides of these wayswill be made high enough so that there will be no possibility of anyperson'falling over the edge of this portion of the route.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by which theinvention is carried into effect, and certain features might be used, iffound desirable, independently of other features. The invention is not,therefore, to be limited to the specific construction herein describedand illustrated.

What is claimed is- 1. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroutecomprising a plurality of courses having adjacent ends at difl'erentlevels whereby a sudden descent from course to course is obtained inpassing along the route, substantially as described.

2. In an .amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels whereby a suddendescent from course to course is obtained in passing along the route,and a waterway adjacent one or more of the courses, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels whereby a suddendescent from course to course is obtained in passing along the route,and a wa' terway adjacent one or more of the courses, the waterway beingconstructed to provide rapids or falls, substantially as described.

4. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels, one of said coursesincluding a moving carrier-belt, substantially as described.

5. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels, one of said coursesincluding a moving carrier-belt, and a waterway adjacent one or more ofthe courses, said waterway being constructed to provide falls,substantially as'described.

6. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels, the first of saidcourses being sharply inclined to afford starting velocity,substantially as described.

7. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels, one of said coursesincluding a carrier-belt and the next succeeding course including aslideway, substantially as described.

8. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels, one of said coursesincluding a carrier-belt and the next succeeding course including aslideWay, and a Waterway adjacent one or more of the courses, saidWaterway being constructed to provide rapids or falls, substantially asdescribed.

9. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels, one of said coursesincluding a carrier-belt and the next succeeding course including acurved slideWay, substantially as described.

1.0. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses having adjacent ends at different levels, one of said coursesincluding a carrier-belt and the next succeeding course including acurved slideWay, and a Waterway adjacent one or more of the courses,said Waterway being constructed to provide rapids or falls,substantially as described.

11. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofsuccessive courses, one of said courses including a carrier-belt and:the next succeeding course including a slideway, substantially asdescribed.

12. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to affordstarting velocity, the next succeeding course including a carrier-belt,and the next succeeding course including a slideWay, substantially asdescribed.

13. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to affordstarting velocity, the next succeeding course including a carrier-belt,and the next succeeding course including a slideWay, and a Waterwayadjacent one or more of the courses, said Waterway being constructed toprovide rapids or falls, substantially as described.

14. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to affordstarting velocity, the next succeeding course including a carrier-belt,and the next succeeding course including a curved slide- Way,substantially as described.

15. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to affordstarting velocity, the next succeeding course including a carrier-belt,and the next succeeding course including a curved slide- Way, and aWaterway adjacent one or more of the courses, said Waterway beingconstructed to provide rapids or falls, substantially as described.

16. In an amusement apparatus, a slide route comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to affordstarting velocity, the next succeeding course including a carrier-belt,and the next succeeding course including a slideway, the

end of the first course being located above and overlapping the second,and the end of the second course being located above and overlapping theend of the third course, substantially as described.

17. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to affordstarting velocity, the next succeeding course including a carrier-belt,and the next succeeding course a curved slideWay, the end of the firstcourse being located above and overlapping the second course, and theend of the second course being located. above and overlapping the end ofthe third course, substantially as described.

18. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to affordstarting velocity, the next succeeding course including a carrier-belt,and the next succeeding course a curved slideway, the end of the firstcourse being located above and overlapping the second course, and theend of the second course being located above and overlapping the end ofthe third course, and a Waterway adjacent one or more of the courses,said Waterway being constructed to provide rapids or falls,substantially as described.

19. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to providestarting velocity, and alternating courses thereafter includingcarrier-belts and curved slideways, the route terminating in asharply-inclined delivery-slideway, substantially as described.

20. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to providestarting velocity, and alternating courses thereafter includingcarrier-belts and curved slideways, the route terminating in asharply-inclined delivery-slideway, and a Waterway adjacent the route,substantially as described.

21. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising a plurality ofcourses, the first of said courses being sharply inclined to providestarting velocity, and alternating courses thereafter includingcarrier-belts and curved slideWays, the route terminating in asharply-inclined delivery-slideway, and a Waterway adjacent the route,said Waterway being constructed to provide falls or rapids at variouspoints, substantially as described.

'22. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising asharply-inclined startingslideway, a carrierbelt, the receiving end ofWhich is below the delivery end of the starting-slideway, a curvedslideway adjacent the delivery end of the belt, the receiving end ofsaid slideway being below the delivery end of the belt, a secondcarrier-belt having its receiving end below the delivery end of thecurved slideway, the route terminating in a sharply-inclineddelivery-slideway, substantially as described.

23. In an amusement apparatus, a slideroute comprising asharply-inclined startingslideway, a carrier-belt, the receiving end ofslideway, a carrier-belt, the receiving end of which is below thedelivery end of the starting-slideway, a curved slideway adjacent thedelivery end of the belt, the receiving end of said slideway being belowthe delivery end of the belt, a second carrier-belt having its receivingend below the delivery end of the curved slideway, the route terminatingin a sharply-inclined delivery-slideway, and a waterway adjacent theroute, said waterway being constructed to provide falls or rapids atvarious points, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANKLIN J. MCCABE. Witnesses W. H. KENNEDY, AUGUSTA WHITE.

